Smoke box for locomotives



c. D. BARRETT SMOKE BOX FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 28. 1926 -2 Sheets-Shea}. 1

INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

Dec. 20,. 1927.

c. D. BARRETT SMOKE BOX FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 28. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 1 aflri ez 6 8 Ea le:

' ATTORNEY;

Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

' UNITED \STA SMOKE BOX FOB LOCOIOTIVES.

Application filed December 28, 1926. Serial No. 157,598.

My invention relates to locomotives on similar boilers to be operated under a forced draft'and particularly to an improved and eificient arrangement of the elements of a smoke-box for locomotives, and to a method of controlling the draft to insure proper steaming function of the boiler.

In the smoke-box of an ordinary locomotive there will be an accumulation of cinders underneath the stack, or in the front end of v the smoke-box away from the flue-head. It is, therefore, necessary to clean out the smoke-box frequently in order to prevent the accumulation from partially obstructing the signed to be self-cleaning. It has been found possible by a rather elaborate arrangement of baflles .or deflector plates to so direct the furnace draft over the bottom sur face of the smoke-box as to sweep the cinders up the stack and this has been termed a self-cleaning smoke-box.

The usual type of self-cleaning smoke-box has the objection that the deflector or phragm plates and spark-arrester netting must be carefully fitted against the sides of the smoke-box and around the exhaust nozzle in order to control the draft and prevent the discharge of cinders into the stack without passing "through the netting. As the smoke-box is usually circular in cross-section and it is necessary to avoid the various .\steam pipes and headers located partially or wholly within the box, it has been a difficult and expensive matter to arrange the diaphragm plates and netting to secure the desired results.

It is an object of. my inventionto provide an eflicient self-cleaning smoke-box of simpler construction than those heretofore used. A further object of my invention isto provide a deflector plate which does not require fitting to the outlines of the smoke-box and tothe exhaust nozzle, and which will produce the desired velocity of the furnace gases in the smoke-box necessary to prevent the accumulation of the cinders therein and to insure proper draft in the stack to the end that the boiler will show the necessary and required steaming characteristics.

In accordance with my invention, asmokebox which is self-cleaning and which assures proper draft conditions, is secured by the use of a deflector or baflie plate which, in its preferred form, is of substantially cylindrical shape and is suspended from a dependdraft unless the smoke-box is specially de-.

dia-

ing lift or petticoat pipe stack and. within the smoke-box. It is a relatively simple matter to mount such a deflector plate in position being readily ac- \.l l,653=,537 TES PATENTS OFFICE.

extension of the cessible from the front door opening of a locomotive and, by reason of its cylindrical form, to secure a tight fit between all the elements of the construction. The sparkarrester netting may be circular or cupshaped and may be suitably secured at its gupper end to the bottom of. the lift pipe, while at its lower end it surrounds and contacts with the upper edge of the exhaust nozzle. a

The deflector plate is of somewhat larger diameter than the lift pipe and extends downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of the smoke-box, leaving a restricted opening for the products of combustion passing from the flues to the stack. To insure the requisite velocity for the gases passing to the deflector plate, the total area of the restricted opening is substantially equal. to

or somewhat less than the total fire area through the flues in the boiler. In order to equalize the flow of gases into the stack, it has been found preferablein some cases to space the deflector plate somewhat further from the bottom of the smoke-box on its front side. In this manner, an eflicient construction of self-cleaning smoke-box may be obtained with a deflector plate that is easily mounted in operative position.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one embodiment of my invention as applied to a locomotive boiler which is other- .wise of standard construction in order to provide a full and clear disclosure thereof.

- box showing the preferred arrangement of the boiler, exhaust and blower nozzles, deflector plate and stack with certain details omitted for the sake of clearness', and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the deflector plate assembly.

The locomotive boiler shown in Figs. 1-3

a horizontal sectional view along line 1-1 of Fig. 2,.of the smoketransverse axes of the oilwith portions of the boiler is, with the exception of the smoke-box, of standard construction and comprises a shell or waist 1, closed by the usual tube sheet 2, the latter supporting a plurality of l flues or fire:tubes;=3 through which the prodnets of combustion pass from the fire-box from theboiler flows through the usual dry I throughthe bottom of the smoke-box 1'di-- into a smoke-box 4, at the forward end of the boiler shell, and thence to the atmos-' phere through a stack 5. The steam supply pipe 6, into a .superheater header 7, and thence through the superheater tubes 8 to the supply pipes.9. Anexhaust nozzle 10.

of the usual construction projects upwardly rectly beneath the stack 5.

A lift or petticoat pipe 12 secured at its upper end tb the staek 5 and constitutes,

in effect an extension thereof toward the in bottom of the smoke-box. A substantially cylindrical deflector o'r diaphragm plate 13 v of greater diameter than. the diam er of the lift pipe 12, is supported thereon and extends to a point adjacent the'bottom of the smoke-box. The lift pipe 12 is carefully 'fitted to the stack and to the depending deflector plate and both the lift pipe and deflector plate are imperforate, so that the products of combustion are prevented from entering the stack except underneath the lower ed e of'the deflector plate at the bottom of t e smoke-box.

The foregoing elements of the improved so that theopening through which the prodnets of combustion restricted in area. t is'usually advisable to space the'bottom of the deflector plate further from the bottom of the smoke-box on the side away from the flues, as shown,

in order to more nearly equalize the flow of gases into the stack, although in some cases this arrangement may be found unnecessary.

On account of the restricted opening into the interior of the deflector plate which forms, in effect, anextension of the stack, the relatively high velocity of the gases carries the cinders into the stack and prevents an accumulation thereof in the bottom of the smoke-box. Furthermore, it has been found that the effect upon the draft is'such that the boiler shows the required steaming characteristics. In order to insure this result, it has been found necessary in actual practice to restrict the opening to an area substantially equal to or less than the total fire area through the boiler flues. In one instance, successful operation I was obtained ass into the stack is position by the braces 25 and bolts or rivwith anopening of approximately 917 square inches where the area of the gas passage threugh the flues was 1138 square inches." i

Other elements of the smoke-box coo erating with-the deflector plate in the mo eation shown include a blower nozzle 18 and a spark-arrester nettin 19. The blower-nozsparks around the periphery of the nozzle.

The netting need not be secured in any way to the nozzle 10 provided it is fitted tightly enough to accomplish the desired? results; The deflector plate maybe flattened or bent, if necessary to clear the superheater tubes 8, without interfering in'any way with the operation of the smoke-box nor increasing the cost of the construction or the difficulty of assembling it. Such a flattening of the deflector plate is shown im Fig. 1, the purpose being to avoid interference with the superheater tubes 8.

The several elements of the construction. described may be secured in assembled 'relaloo tion and mounted upon the boiler shell in i any suitable manner. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the lift pipe, the deflector plate, the spark-arrester netting and the blower nozzle form a unit which may be conveniently inserted in the smoke-box, through the front door opening thereof and secured in ets 26.

The blower casting 18, is bolted or riveted to the lift pipe 12; and the deflector plate and spark-arrester netting 19 are supported at their upper ends from thiscastr mg. As shown in Fig. 5, the casting 18 supports a plate or ring member 27 to which the spark-arrester netting may as indicated'at 28. A bolt 29 provided with a removable key 30 secures the ring member 27 tothe blower casting, a spacing ring 31 being interposed between the ring member the structure may be readily disassem led.

A series of bolts such as is shown in .Fig. 5,

the blower casting. in a similar manner, as no shown in Fig. 6.- The deflector plate. ii

be welded,

and casting. Upon removal of the ke 30, J

l, to facilitate the assembly. Any suitable means for securing the elements of my 1m-- proved construction together -may, of course, be used in place of that s own.

lhe blower nozzle 18 'is provided wlth an inletopening 35 (see Fig. 2) and a series of upwardly directed outlets 36 (see Fig. 7) toproduce a draft through the fire-box, flues and staclswhen steam is admitted to the blower.

I am aware that certain modifications of the structure which I ahave shown and de scribed may occur to thoseskilled in the pended. claims.

" box into which the boiler flues or fire tubes I claim; 1. In a locomotive boiler having a smokedischarge theproducts of combustioniand a stack for conducting and dischargingthe said, products from the smoke-box to atmospher, means including a deflector plate that is out of contact with the side walls of the smoke-box and extends from the stack to a point adjacent the "bottom of the smoke-box andcompletely closes the path for the prod nets of combustion from the flues tothe stack except for a restricted area between the bottom of the deflector plate and the bottom of the smoke-box, which area is substantially equal to 'or less than the total area of the gas passage through the flues.

2. In a locomotive boiler having a smokebox' into which the boiler flues or firetubes discharge the products of combustion, an exhaust steam nozzle positioned at the bottom of-the smoke-box, and a stack at the top thereof in vertical alignment with the exhaust nozzle, means including a deflector plate suspended from the stack and extending slightly below the upper end of the exhaust nozzle, the deflector plate being circumferentiall closed and arranged to 0on stitute, in e eat, a stack extension to close completely the path for the products of combustlon from the flues to the stack except for a restricted area between the bottom of the deflector plate and the bottom of the smokel O Y I I less than the total area of the gas passage through the flues.

3. In a locomotive boiler having a smokebox into which the boiler lines or fire tubes discharge the products of combustion, an exhaust steam nozzle positioned at the bottom of the smoke-box and a stack at the'top thereof and in vertical alignment 'with the exhaust nozzle, the combination of a lift pipe suspended from the stack which constitutes, in eflect, an extension thereof and having a depending deflector plate suspended there-- on and conforming generally to the outline thereof, a blower nozzle positioned to cooperate with said lift pipe and a spark-arrester screen secured atone end to said deflector plate and at the other end to the exhaust nozzle, the deflector plate .and lift pipe being arranged to close completely the path for the products of combustion from .the flues to the stack except for a restricted area between the bottom of the deflector plate and the bottom of the smoke-box, which area is substantially equal to or slightly less tflhan the area of the gas passage through the ues. Y

4. In a locomotive boiler having a smokebox into which the boiler flues or fire tubes discharge the products of combustion, the combinationof an exhaust steam nozzle at a the bottom of the smoke-box, a stack at the top thereof and in verticgl alignment with the exhaust nozzle and means including a" the side walls of the smoke-box and extend-.

ing from the stack to a point adjacent the bottom of the smoke box and below the .top of the exhaust nozzle, the deflector plate being spaced further from the bottom of the 5Q A method of controlling the draft inv the smoke-box of a locomotive which comprises passing the products of cdmbustion to the stack throu h a restricted passage the area of which is substantially equal to or ililgehtly less than the fire area through the CHARLES n. BARRETT. 

